Ashes of Time Redux

The films of Hong Kong cult director Wong Kar-Wai are known for their melancholic dreaminess, both in content and visuals. While his In the Mood for Love and Chungking Express are widely known and beloved, the director himself considers his most important work to be the wuxia drama Ashes of Time.

At the heart of the story is Ouyang Feng, who lives alone in the desert and earns a living by connecting sword masters with wealthy clients seeking revenge. Over the course of five seasons, various people visit him—some in search of help, others simply for companionship. Feng plays a role in each of their lives—whether as a listener, a helper, or even a participant. These tormented souls are all somehow connected, but in true Wong Kar-Wai fashion, every moment is fleeting, and the characters must confront the harsh reality that time cannot be stopped.

The film’s famously grueling production lasted two years and cost nearly $40 million—an unheard-of sum for the Asian film industry at the time, which was dominated by low-budget B-movies. When editing began, Wong Kar-Wai took a two-month break to clear his head, during which he created Chungking Express from start to finish. The latter’s playful lightness was largely a response to the intensity of his serious and complex drama.

Ashes of Time Redux is an unusual wuxia film. Whereas the genre typically features honorable heroes with mystical powers, Wong Kar-Wai reveals that such fame comes with pain, regret, and loneliness. We see that heroic deeds are carried out by wounded individuals who now wander aimlessly through the wasteland, hoping to find redemption, a new purpose, or simply relief from their inner torment.